The most common species is Schistochila lehmanniana, a large species (sometimes clump-forming)of wet forest and rainforest occupying various substrates.

Schistochila spp. can easily be mistaken for the other two genera of Schistochilaceae. It differs from Paraschistochila in having underleaves and from Pachyschistochila in having stem paraphylls (small leaf-like protuberances).